Police warn Royal Ascot pubs Pimm’s and football don’t mix

Royal Ascot has already chucked out the "chavs" but this year it looks likely to become a no-go zone for football fans.

Pubs in the racing town are under pressure not to screen England's World Cup match against Algeria, which falls during the five-day meeting, amid police concerns about "crowd control".

Two years ago Ascot's Royal Enclosure launched a tighter dress code — nicknamed an "anti-chav" charter — in an attempt to smarten up guests. It included a ban on mini-skirts and spaghetti straps and a reminder to women to wear knickers.

Now Thames Valley licensing officers have "recommended" that landlords ignore the football match on Friday June 18 and have warned them they could face action if there is trouble.

Up to 70,000 people will visit Ascot that day, many in high spirits by the last race in the early evening after a day drinking champagne and Pimm's. Police fear screenings of the England game, which kicks off at 7.30pm, would encourage people to keep drinking.

A Thames Valley Police source said: "It's a major effort to manage the crowds anyway. Factor in a big football game and it could become a real challenge. It's our biggest operation of the year as it is."

Extra officers from the Met Police and the British Transport Police have been drafted in to help.

A police spokeswoman said "general advice" had been given "mainly as a precautionary measure in preventing any crime and disorder".

She added: "The decision to show any football game during the week of Royal Ascot is very much a matter for the designated premises supervisor in liaison with the police, unless there are specific reasons which warrant the police to take control of a situation."

Kyle Holland, manager at Bar One, in the town centre, said he had already decided not to show the game. He said: "It would be more trouble than anything else."

Nick Smith, head of public relations at Royal Ascot, said: "We don't clash with the England game. Our last race is at 5.30pm and I doubt people will hang around for a couple of hours just to see a match anyway."

Royal Ascot is from June 15 to 19.